Shortly after they depart from Orestes, they come across an abandoned flatbed two-wheel cart designed to be drawn by a horse-lizard. Since no one's around to stop them, the party snatches it and hooks it to one of their horse-lizards. Given that TRITHAL, Ali and Evan spent most of the night before exerting massive amounts of energy instead of resting like they should have, they seize the opportunity to lay down in the cart and catch a snooze as the party continues on. While they rest, their HP and SP naturally return to max. Since AXEM and THRAX didn't do much the night before except watch all the happenings, they managed to get most of their HP and SP restored.
With AXEM and THRAX still awake and left in charge of the navigation of the trip, THRAX says, "Let's go to that Kaivez place the old man was talking about. We've got plenty of time."
AXEM: "Might as well..."
AXEM and THRAX get on a ferry and cross to the north side of the river. Once across they encounter a group of six fire demons....
AXEM: "Aw, come on! Fire demons?"
Sure! Why not? You're about to cross into a territory ran by fire worshipers.
AXEM: "But it's so lame! Can't you come up with something more original? Pfft! What's next... 'water demons' attacking us from the river?"
Hey! That's a great idea! Thanks, AXEM!
THRAX (whispers): "I think we need a new narrator!"
Fuck you! Anyway, as I was saying before those two bungholes added in their two cents, our party is confronted by a group of six fire demons lined up three-by-three. AXEM and THRAX size them up and decide that they can handle this themselves and don't need to awaken the others who are sleeping nice and peaceful-like in the cart. Besides, THRAX needs to gain some EXP.
BATTLE MODE ON
AXEM (LV 10; 40/43 HP; 32/40 SP; 704/3000 EXP)
THRAX (LV 6; 24/26 HP; 53/58 SP; 366/3000 EXP)
CHRIS (LV 8 0/37 HP; 31/46 SP; 657/3000 EXP)
Evan (LV 6; 27/27 HP; 11/11 SP; 375 EXP)
AXEM gives THRAX CHRIS's Wizard's Staff and THRAX equips it. THRAX's attack and defense stats increase. However, given AXEM's higher level, AXEM takes the first attack.
AXEM uses 1 SP and throws a barrage of ninja throwing stars at the front row of fire demons. Each lose 20/75 HP.
THRAX skims through the large instruction manual for the wizard's staff and finds an ice attack 'HAILSTORM' which cost 9/24 SP. Golf ball-sized chunks of ice fall rapidly from the sky onto the demons below. The three in the front lose 35/55 HP. The ones in rear lose 25/75.
All six fire demons come together and cause a large whirlwind of fire to encompass AXEM and THRAX. AXEM loses 7/40 HP. THRAX, being of the fire element, loses no HP and giggles like he's being tickled.
AXEM uses 1 SP and mimics a move that, if CHRIS were still with us, he would most likely use just to be silly. AXEM walks up and does a 'Three Stooges' slap to the rear row of demons. Each demon loses 15/50 HP.
AXEM: "There, Thrax! You may finish them off."
THRAX takes another quick glance in the wizard's staff manual and figures out how to correctly use the attack CHRIS tried to use in Episode 34. THRAX spends 8/15 SP causing a fierce amount of water to erupt from the wizard's staff as if it were a fire hose. The fire demons get drenched, thus canceling out their fire element causing each to lose all remaining HP.
BATTLE MODE OFF
AXEM gains 89 EXP
AXEM gains a level
AXEM
LV 10>11
HP 43>46
SP 40>44
AXEM learns "Samurai Thunder"
THRAX gains 217 EXP
THRAX gains two levels
THRAX
LV 6>8
HP 26>31
SP 58>66
Since the remaining party members are either dead or unconscious, no one else gets any EXP.
AXEM (LV 11; 33/46 HP; 30/44 SP; 793/3000 EXP)
THRAX (LV 8; 24/31 HP; 36/66 SP; 583/3000 EXP)
CHRIS (LV 8 0/37 HP; 31/46 SP; 657/3000 EXP)
Evan (LV 6; 27/27 HP; 11/11 SP; 375 EXP)
THRAX: "Ha-Ha! You're level is higher than Trithal's now!"
AXEM: "Phuh! Silly!"
All-of-a-sudden, THRAX's awareness becomes heightened... as if he can sense things now which he wasn't able to before. Right now, he's sensing a growing amount of energy coming from somewhere ahead. He and AXEM decide to go forward and investigate, bringing along the still-sleeping TRITHAL, Ali and Evan.
After about a 20-minute ride, the party reaches a town. A sign on the road says 'Welcome to Kaivez -- Home of...'. The rest of the sign is illegible. This town, just like every other one the party has visited since they crossed the prefectural border, is virtually abandoned.
Ahead and to the right is a building which looks to be the most-maintained in the whole town. There are dark curtains hung over the inside of the windows, and a large oaken double-door in front. From inside this building is the energy which THRAX is sensing. He and AXEM deliberate for a minute about whether or not they want to go inside and check the place out, then decide to ball-up and go for it. They hitch the horse-lizards up under a shade tree so that the still-sleeping party members wouldn't bake in the afternoon sun.
THRAX and AXEM take a deep breath then open the oaken doors. Once inside they find a black curtain separating the foyer from the rest of the building. They close the door behind them then walk through the curtain to find six dark, shadowy figures standing at the points of a hexagram drawn on the floor. Around the room are candles placed in strategic locations. Each person is wearing black cloaks with hoods pulled over their heads. They are chanting something in Latin which is causing an unexplainable energy to erupt from the center of the hexagram.
After THRAX and AXEM enter the room the group stops their chanting and looks up at the two outsiders who have entered their chamber. The person at the head of the hexagram pulls her hood off to reveal a shocked/surprised look on her face as if something she's been waiting a long time to see has finally appeared. She then points to THRAX and says, "You, sir! What is your name?"
THRAX (perplexed): "Uh, I'm Thrax the Hell-Fire."
Immediately the others in the room begin to murmur to themselves in awe. The woman walks around the hexagram to where THRAX is standing then curtsies and says, "Greetings, Hell-Fire. We are the Saibot Clan, descendants of the Saibotian Wizards. My name is Palledoris of the Darkness Flame. You have no idea how long we've waited for this day!"
THRAX, wondering what the hell this bitch is talking about, responds "Uh, ok..."
Palledoris: "Everyone! The prophecy is being fulfilled! The son of the great Xanatos has come to us as promised!"
As she said this, the other worshipers pull back their hoods to reveal that all six are female... the oldest, Palledoris, appearing to be in her mid-40's and the youngest just barely 17. This has AXEM intrigued.
THRAX: "Hold on! Back the truck up! What the fuck are you talking about?"
Palledoris: "The aura that surrounds you matches that of our master... the markings on your face resemble those of the dragon warriors... and you're wearing the Amulet of Xanatos. Not to mention that your name is Thrax the Hell-Fire... the same name as what's written in the sacred scrolls of the person who is to come and lead us!"
Rest of group: "Hail Thrax the Hell-Fire!"
THRAX: "I still don't have a fucking clue what you're talking about, lady!"
Palledoris: "You mean you don't know anything about your father, or who he was or anything?"
THRAX: "My father disappeared when I was nine weeks old. My mom rarely spoke of him. I never knew what his name was, or whatever happened to him. As for this amulet, I just found it a couple of weeks ago in a cave. What do you know about any of this?"
Palledoris: "Well, honestly we don't know that much about him either. Our ancestors, the Saibotian Wizards, swore allegance to him centuries ago. Xanatos promised our ancestors that he would one day send a decendent to guide us to the path of spiritual immortality. That decendant was to be called Thrax. Now, after centuries of waiting, You, Lord Thrax, have finally come to us!"
AXEM: "Wait a minute... you mean to say you don't know diddly-shit about this guy Xanatos yet you worship him like he's fucking Hare Krishna?"
Palledoris: "Well, yeah. Christians worship God yet they don't really know who he is. Right?"
AXEM: "Oh yeah! I guess that makes sense."
All six of the worshipers kneal down on one knee facing THRAX, and Palledoris asks "So then, Lord Thrax, what great quest awaits us now?"
THRAX stands there with a blank look on his face, not sure what to make of this weird-ass shit. AXEM pulls him aside and whispers to him, "Hey! Maybe we can use these girls for something in Tanchi City. They seem like they have some kind of useful abilities."
THRAX: "I'm not so sure that I want them to come with us. Sure, they probably have some interesting skills but, I don't think I could handle six gorgeous women following me everywhere andliterally worshiping me. That is not the kind of worship I want. If they were all over my dick that would be different... but they want me to order them around like I am their king or something."
AXEM: "Well, despite all that, I think we should have them tag along..."
THRAX: "Yeah, so I can convince that youngest one to do you in case your mutant pheromones don't effect them!"
AXEM: "Hey! I don't always think with my dick, you know! But, ya know, maybe you should use your god-like influence on them to get them to jump on my junk!"
THRAX: "I knew it. (speaking to everyone) Okay listen up! My colleagues and I are headed to Tanchi City to clean up a mess we made. Since it seems that you all would probably follow me around like stray puppies whether I like it or not, you might-as-well come along. Perhaps somewhere along the way we'll find out more about this Xanatos guy and what the fuck he's trying to get me to do."
Worshiper #1: "Hail Lord Thrax!"
Worshiper #2: "We shall follow you to eternity!"
Worshiper #3: "Hail the one who's come to lead us!"
Worshiper #4: "Our time has finally come! Hail!"
Worshiper #5: "Great Xanatos be praised!"
Palledoris: "Everyone, gather your belongings! Our journey begins now!"
With that, all six ladies commence to gathering what little they have and prepare to depart. All-the-while THRAX and AXEM find the whole thing interesting, but creepy. They wait outside as the ladies change out of their black robes to something more arrid for the long, hot trip to Tanchi City.
Outside, TRITHAL, Ali and Evan are still snoozing like they have for the past six hours. It's about 4:00 in the afternoon when the laides emerge from the building wearing white dresses and veils, as if they were a bunch of goth chicks who actually knew better than to wear black in the summer.
Palledoris: "We are ready, milord!"
THRAX: "Okay, then... let's go."
AXEM and THRAX guide the horse-lizzards at a walking pace back down the road toward the Dolmaiyan river as the congregation follows behind them.
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